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Choose the tests that work for you:
Get Free Testing at home:
- Get a home HIV test through TakeMeHome.org
- Alameda County: for folks with vaginas, get a home STD test kit through DontThinkKnow.org
- Contra Costa County: Get HIV & STI Testing in the comfort of your home/private space
Get Free Testing out in the community, no insurance needed:
How to get tested:
You can get tested for HIV and STDs in the East Bay for free and with your privacy protected, regardless of your insurance and immigration status. Here are our recommended steps:
- Choose where you want to get tested and ask for your tests.
- At home: (specify if HIV only or HIV and STDs)
- If you live in Contra Costa County: Get HIV & STI Testing in the comfort of your home/private space.
- If you live in Alameda County: Request a FREE home test kit (HIV Rapid Self Test) sent by mail to your house or other address of your choice. Kits arrive in 1-4 days:
- At FREE community testing sites – no insurance needed:
- With your regular medical provider, if you have one OR find a medical provider: click here and select or search for “STD testing.”
- Get the tests done.
- Here’s what the testing process looks like:
- Watch these videos on self swabs, urine tests, OraQuick rapid tests and finger stick tests.
- Check out this PDF poster on collecting self-swabs.
- Here’s what the testing process looks like:
- Get your results.
- Home test kit results are ready in about 7 days.
- HIV and hepatitis C rapid test results are ready in 20 minutes.
- Lab-based results are typically ready in 3-5 days.
4. Get treated for positive results. Please see below.
How to get treated:
You can get treated for HIV and STDs in the East Bay on the same day that you are diagnosed, with safe and highly effective treatment, regardless of your insurance and immigration status. When a person with HIV takes medication each day, the HIV viral load becomes undetectable, and the person does not pass on the virus to other people sexually, which is what we call U=U, for Undetectable = Untransmittable.
- Decide on where you want to get treatment:
- With your current medical provider, if you have one: contact them and let them know you have an urgent medical need so you can be seen the same day.
- With a new medical provider: click here and select for “HIV treatment” or “STD testing and treatment” as the primary service to find a new provider.
- Tell the provider who gave you the diagnosis where you want to be referred, or contact them yourself. Click here to find direct contact info by text or phone.
- Meet your care team and get treatment, usually on the same day.
- If you’re going to your current medical provider, what typically happens is:
- You will meet the medical provider or their coworker so they can find out about your health and offer treatment.
- Sometimes providers have medication to give you at the visit. Other times you will pick up the medications at a pharmacy.
- Sometimes you will need more lab tests.
- The care team will make a follow-up appointment.
- If you’re going to a new provider, you will meet the intake person, who will help you get you enrolled and figure out insurance options. Then the same steps above typically happen.
- If you’re going to your current medical provider, what typically happens is:
- Start taking medication and get the virus undetectable
- Your medical provider will usually start treatment that day.
- In 4-8 weeks your care team will have you come in for a follow up visit and get labs to see how well the treatment is working.
- The goal is for the virus to be full suppressed or undetectable within about 2-3 months.